Packet-based communication systems are well known. Such systems allow user terminals (e.g., personal computers (PCs), personal digital assistants (PDAs), telephones, mobile radiotelephones, modems, network access devices, Internet peripherals, and their equivalents) to communicate with each other and with other communication networks, such as, for example, the Internet and the public telephone network.
Enhanced call services within packet-based communication systems are also well known. Such services include, but are not limited to offerings such as call waiting, call forwarding, and call conferencing, including 3-way calls, multi-party calls, and the like. As will be appreciated, the typical call service is implemented and controlled by the governing communication system, and not the user terminal.
By way of example, and with reference to FIG. 1, it will be appreciated that establishment of the typical conference call requires multiple steps and various network entities. First, a day and time for the conference call must be scheduled. After scheduling, resources to facilitate the call must be reserved. For example, a conference bridge for an audio or video portion of the conference is reserved. Once the necessary resources are reserved and allocated for the conference call, conference access data may need to be supplied to each participant. For example, a conference bridge number and password may need to be distributed to conference participants to permit calling into the conference bridge. Once call setup is complete the actual conference call requires additional steps. Namely, each conference participant must connect to the conference call at the appropriate time with the appropriate capability to interact with other participants, including possibly the exchange of audio data, video data, files, conference presentation materials and the like.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communications system 100 that supports enhanced call services. The communications system 100 depicts a third generation wireless system, as defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Program, also known as 3 GPP (see 3 gpp.org). In such a system, terminals 102 are typically mobile radiotelephone devices that include a user interface and an interface for coupling to communications system 100. The user interface of user terminal 102 is typically referred to as terminal equipment and generally includes an audio interface, such as a microphone and speakers, a visual interface, such as a display, and a user input interface, such as a keyboard or touch pad. The interface for coupling to the system 100 is typically referred to as a mobile terminal and generally includes an over-the-air interface for transmitting and receiving data. In the typical environment, base stations 104 include an over-the-air interface that is complementary to the over-the-air interface of user terminal 102, thereby permitting terminal 102 and base stations 104 to communicate over-the-air. When the interface employed by user terminal 102 and base station 104 is an over-the-air interface, the communication system 100 is generally referred to as a wireless communications system. When the interface employed by user terminal 102 is a packet-based protocol, the communication system 100 is generally referred to as a packet based communications system.
During operation, the communications that are directed to and received from user terminals 102 via base stations 104 are coordinated and transferred using a serving device, such as a GPRS (GSM Packet Radio System) support node (SGSN) 106, a gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) 110, a call session control function (CSCF) 114 and a home subscriber system 118. SGSN 106 coordinates transmissions to and from base stations 104. SGSN 106 is coupled to GGSN 110 via a data link 112. GGSN 110 interfaces the communications to and from SGSN 106 to other networks. Call session control function 114 is coupled to GGSN 110 via a data link 116. Call session control function 114 coordinates and executes a signaling protocol used to establish, maintain and control calls or sessions for communications involving user terminals 102. A home subscriber system 118 is coupled to call session control function 114 via a data link 120. Home subscriber system 118 includes subscriber profile information, including information traditionally associated with a home location register for a mobile subscriber.
To facilitate ancillary and support functions within communications system 100, a charging gateway function (CGF) 122 and a media resource function 124 may be provided. Charging gateway function 122 is coupled to SGSN 106 and GGSN 110 to account for packets passing through these elements for accounting, billing and other purposes. Media resource function 124 is coupled to call session control function 114 and to GGSN 110. Media resource function 124 provides resources for conference bridging, tones, announcements, text-to-speech conversion, automatic speech recognition and other service functions for communications through GGSN 110.
GGSN 110 couples user terminals 102 to other networks. In particular, GGSN 110 is coupled to an Internet protocol (IP) network 146 via a data link 148. Data link 148 preferably implements a packet-based protocol for transfers to a data network. Data link 148 and IP network 146 provide access to any elements connected to IP network 146, such as, for example, a computer 154. GGSN 110 is also coupled to a media gateway 130 via a data link 150. Media gateway 130 is in turn coupled to a public switched telephone network 142 via a communications link 152. Media gateway 130 converts packetized voice received from GGSN 110 to a circuit-switched protocol acceptable to the public switched telephone network 142. Conversely, media gateway 130 converts circuit-switched communications received from public switched telephone network 142 to packetized communications acceptable to GGSN 110. Media gateway 130, data link 150, and communications link 152 provide an interface for user terminals 102 to the public switched telephone network 142. By virtue of this connection, user terminals 102 are coupled to elements attached to the public switched telephone network, such as telephone 144.
The signaling and control necessary to interface GGSN 110 with public switched telephone network 142 is controlled and provided by call session control function 114, a media gateway controller 126, and a transport signaling gateway 134. Media gateway controller 126 is coupled to call session control function 114 via a data link 128. Media gateway controller 126 is coupled to control media gateway 130 via data ink 132. Call session control function 114 determines, based on a signaling protocol, the media gateway resources required for a particular communication or session. These resource requirements are transmitted to media gateway controller 126, which in turn, configures and establishes the necessary resources in media gateway 130 and provides the necessary signaling to transport signaling gateway 134. The resources in media gateway 130 are configured to transfer the actual (bearer) data between the GGSN 110 and the public switched telephone network 142. Transport signaling gateway 134 converts the signaling protocol from the media gateway controller 126 to a signaling protocol used by the public switched telephone network 142.
Applications and enhanced call services are preferably coupled to communication system 100 for use in interaction with user terminals 102. In particular, call session control function 114 is coupled to an applications and call services network 156 via a data link 158. A myriad of call services and applications may reside in or be coupled to the network 156, including database services from database 160. For additional detail, the interested reader may refer to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/953,509, filed Sep. 14, 2001, entitled “TARGETED AND INTELLIGENT MULTIMEDIA CONFERENCE ESTABLISHMENT SERVICES,” invented by Henrikson et al., and assigned to the assignee of the present application.
The steps required to establish a successful conference call under the system of FIG. 1 are cumbersome and time consuming, require considerable network resource, network administration, and network-based call session control. In addition, these steps may also require the scheduling of network resources and caller participation well in advance of the anticipated call. In general, these call operations are not characterized as real-time or spontaneous, and more importantly, they are not network independent. Notwithstanding these shortcomings, enhanced call services are of increasing importance and value to system subscribers. The advent and proliferation of proposed third generation wireless systems, coupled with the promise of ubiquitous availability will only make such call services more desirable.
In anticipation thereof, a growing need exists for on-demand call conferencing and multi-party call waiting routines that reduce the cumbersome nature and network dependence exhibited by existing call services that support call conferencing and call waiting.